Bottle cap toys



June 1 1965 R. s. BERENDT ETAL 3,185,127

BOTTLE CAP TOYS Filed Aug. 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tic El.

INVENTORS IWIZPH 5'. BEEF/V07 C/IEUZ 9. 5595/1/07 Mum/W 5.59144 June 1,1965 R. s. BERENDT ETAL 3,186,127

BOTTLE CAP TOYS Filed Aug. 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0W MQLM Arm/marsUnited States Patent Ofiice Patented June 1, 1965 3,186,127 BOTTLE CAPTOYS Ralph S. Berendt, Carol D. Berenrlt, and Murray Bernthal, Syracuse,N.Y., assiguors to Capsie, Inc, Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled Aug. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 131,633 30 Claims. (Cl. 46151) Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in the toy field andmore particularly seeks to provide economical toys that can beconstructed from waste crown bottle caps and paper cut-cuts, wires,plastic, or similar materials, to form simple shapes.

Crown bottle caps of crimped metal are removed from bottles of soda,beer, fruit juices, etc., daily in homes and commercial establishmentsthroughout the world, none of which are reused as bottle caps andpractically none of which are further used for any purpose.

Many cheap toys are made from paper and other materials, particularlycut-out sections of paper sheets but it is diflicult to support thesepatterns and especially to have the toy regain inherently a verticalposition as they invariably tend to fall over at the slightest touch ormovement of air.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to utilize bottle caps asbases for economical cheap toys made from paper or similar materials.

It is a further object of this invention to utilize bottle caps as basesfor simple toys of almost unlimited design and variation.

It is also anobject of this invention to utilize bottle caps as basesfor paper str-a-w axles and bearings between two caps to elfect a set ofwheels which may be attached to other paper toys to simulate wheeledvehicles.

It is another object of this invention to utilize bottle caps as basesfor paper chessmen.

It is an additional object of this invention to utilize bottle caps toprovide floating toys.

With the above objects and others in view, the nature of which will bemore apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by referenceto the drawings, the accompanying detailed description and the appendedclaims:

In the drawings: 1

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a chessrnan, separate lockingdisc and bottle cap constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elements of FIG. 1 after finalassembly;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a two ply clown prior to mounting in a bottlecap;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a basket mounted in a bottle cap;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a clown adapted to be supported by bottle capson both feet;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a two ply boat with an integral locking discwhich is formed from two half circle discs, one on each ply;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the boat of FIG. 8 immediately prior tomounting in a bottle cap;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a pair of trees mounted on one bottlecap; a

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an inflated balloon and locking discready for mounting on a bottle cap;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a three dimensional wire figure with anintegral locking disc;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a two dimensional cut-out having athree dimensional ellect in view of the manner of mounting on a bottlecap;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a bowling pin having an integral locking disc;7

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a hollow molded plastic simulatedbowling pin with an integrally molded locking disc;

FIG. 16 is a perspective View of a paper-bottle cap shuttlecock;

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of telescoping straws mounted inbottle caps with locking discs for forming wheeled toys;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a truck using the unit of FIG. 17 asaxles and wheels; and

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of a hollow straw supportedvertically on a bottle cap with a variety of figures that may beinsert-ed in the hollow straw.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this invention as illustrated isembodied in various paper, balloon, plastic or wire figires that may besupported vertically in a bottle cap or horizontally between two bottlecaps, all of the figures being secured to the bottle cap by a disc thatis forced or urged into a locked position in a bottle cap.

- As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the conventional bottle cap 21 (new or used)comprises a circular fiat main section 23, a cylindrical wall section 25with a plurality of crimps 27 and a cork or plastic sealing disc 29resting snugly in juxtaposition with the main section 23. The internaldiameter describing the crimps 27 is smaller than the internal diameterdescribed by the cylindrical wall section 25 between the crimps 27 andsealing disc 29 which permits the cap to be sealed on to a bottle havingan annular beaded opening.

' A paper or other flat locking disc 31 can be easily snapped or pushedinto a locked position between the crimps 29 and sealing disc 29 afterthe caps have been removed from bottles. The locking discs are used tosecure figures to bottle caps by any one of various means, e.g. by slits33 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 10 and 13), by circular opening 35 in disc 36 (FIGS.11 and 17), or by placing a portion of the figure under the entire disc(FIGS. 5, 6 and 16), in each instance the locking disc being separatefrom the figure. However, the disc may be an integral part of the figureas almost a full circle 37 (FIG. 14), a pair of semi-circles 39, 39(FIGS. 8 and 9), a full circle 4-1 (FIG. 15), or a Wire circle 42 (FIG.11). The figures generally have split tabs 44 which lie parallel (FIG.3) between the locking disc 31 and the sealing disc 29. Various otherways of using locking disc to secure figures will, of course, beapparent to those in the art.

The types of figures to be mounted on the bottle caps are infinite,including, for example, chessmen 45 (FIGS. 1 to 3), clowns 51 (FIGS. 4and 7), baskets 49 (FIGS. 5 and 6), boats 55 (FIGS. 8 and 9), trees 57(FIG. 10), balloons 43 (FIG.,11), wire figures 61 (FIG. 12) which may bereadily constructed of pipe cleaners, bowling pins 47 and 53 (FIGS. 14and 15) which may readily be made in sets, shuttlecocks 59 (FIG. 16) andtubular elements (FIGS. 17, 18 and 19). Moreover, the various figuresmay be single ply planar (FIGS. 1, 7 and 14), double ply planar (FIGS. 4and 9), double planar spaced (FIG. 10),

5 pseudo-three-dimensional (FIGS. 12 and 13) or three-dimensional (FIGS.5, 11, 15, 16 and 17).

The chessman 45 of FIG. 1 only represents one of a complete set that canbe formed of waste bottle caps and one sheet of punch-out paper. Suchchessmen have the weight and the feel of the more expensive setsavailable heretofore on the market which are weighted at the base incontrast to the cheaper unweighted sets.

The bowling pins 47 or 53 of FIGS. 14 and 15 are also only one of acomplete set of ten which may be positioned in a triangular pattern likeactual bowling pins and then knocked over by rolling marbles or smallballs or by shooting a paper slug with a rubber band. The figures hereshould be heavy enough so that they will remain horizontal on falling,as the object of the game is to knock the pins over.

However, the clowns 51 of FIGS. 4 and 7 are sufliciently light comparedto the bottle cap and locking disc, so that the entire toy alwaysregains its vertical position even when knocked over. These and theshuttlecock 59 of FIG. 16 make excellentobjects to be thrown by one orbetween two of the paper paddles claimed in our copending application,Serial No. 131,634, filed of even date herewith. Moreover, the bottlecaps with such lightweight figures will float on water and can be usedin various water play activities and as floating decorations such asflowers in bowls at parties. Furthermore, such lightweight toys may bethrown onto a horizontal board with a target having selective scoringareas like a dart board as these units are much cheaper and safer forchildren. 1

As shown in FIGS. 17 to 19, the end of a straw 63 may be split into aplurality of tongues 65 underneath the locking disc 35. One tongue issutficient but a plurality increases the durability of the attachment.Also plastic straws are more durable than paper ones. If this straw ispositioned vertically, it may then serve as a tubular holder for variousother figures such as an umbrella 67, lamp 69, flag 71, etc. This strawmay also be attached at both ends to a bottle cap and serve as asimulated axle between two simulated wheels 75. This axle may be mountedto a toy or may pass through a larger straw 77 which is then mounted insupports '79 depending from a paper box truck (FIG. 18), wagon, or othersimilar device, in which case the inner straw 63 serves as an axlewithin the outer straw 77 as a bearing. This gives a simple butremarkably substantial and free-wheeling construction that withstands alot of wear. The supports 79 are merely downturned tabs of the papertruck.

It is obvious, of course, that the one piece clown S1 of FIG. 4, likethe boat 55 of FIGS. 8 and 9, will be folded at the junction between theheads to make a reinforced two ply figure and that the four tabs 44 willbe in alignment then for insertion under a locking disc.

The basket 49 of FIG. is formed from two circular sheets of paper whichhave been radially cut toward the center (leaving an integral outerportion) so that the individual segments 48 may overlap on forming thebasket. The double sheets are cut at diflerent points to providestaggering of the weak points in the basket. A handle 50 is providedwhich also folds under the locking disc 31, and may be inside (as shown)or outside the basket portion. The shuttlecock 59 of FIG. 16 is madefrom a single circular sheet of paper that has been fluted at 60 toreduce the diameter.

FIG. 14 demonstrates how the locking disc may be integral with thefigure in the plan view. The bowling pin 47 folds at line 36 to becometransverse to locking disc 37 while the neck 40 is folded under disc 37and tab 38 then folds upwardly to replace the section taken out of disc37 by the bottom portion of bowling pin 47.

Many other various combinations will suggest themselves to those skilledin the art. Obviously the various means of attaching figures with alocking disc as shown in these specific examples can be interchangedwith the specific figure patterns shown which are not intended to limitour invention.

We claim:

1. A toy comprising a bottle crown cap as a support, a locking discfitting snugly within said cap, and a figure extending transversely awayfrom said cap and attached thereto by said locking disc.

2. A toy comprising a bottle crown cap as a support, a locking discfitting snugly within said cap and provided with an openingtherethrough, and a figure extending transversely away from said cap,said figure having a tongue thereon, said tongue extending through saidopening and lying between said cap and said locking disc.

3. The toy of claim 2 wherein said tongue includes two tabs which extendfrom said opening in opposed directions.

4. The toy of claim 2 wherein said opening is circular.

5. The toy of claim 2 wherein said opening is a slot.

6. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a chessman.

7. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a simulated bowling pin.

8. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a clown.

9. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a tubular element.

10. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a balloon.

111. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is a wire.

12. The toy of claim 11 wherein said figure is a cutout-paper figure.

13. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is sufficiently heavy toremain horizontal when placed in a horizontal position.

14. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is sufficiently lightrelative to said cap to regain a vertical position inherently whenplaced in a horizontal position.

15. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is three dimensional.

16. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure is hollow.

1'7. The toy of claim 11 wherein said figure is sufiiciently light sothat the cap will float on water.

18. The toy of claim 17 wherein said figure forms a basket.

19. The toy of claim 1 wherein a portion of said figure fits under theentire area between said cap and said 1ocking disc.

20. The toy of claim a shuttlecock.

21. A toy comprising a bottle crown cap as a support, a locking discfitting snugly within said cap, and a figure integral with and extendingtransversely away from said disc.

22. The toy of claim 21 wherein said locking disc comprises at least twocomplementary segments with an associated portion of said figureextending from each segment.

23. The toy of claim 22 wherein said complementary segments are eachapproximately 24. The toy of claim 21 wherein said figure and lockingdisc are molded plastic.

25. The toy of claim 2 wherein said figure is a tubular element.

26. The toy of claim 25 wherein said tongue is'provided and a capsecured at each end of said tubular element.

27. The toy of claim 26 wherein said tubular element is mounted withinan outer larger tubular element.

23. A toy comprising a platform, a spaced pair of 19 wherein said figureforms bottle crown caps as supports, locking disc fitting snugly tubularelement being mounted within a larger outer tubular element, said outertubular element being mounted below said platform whereby said outertubular element and said caps simulate an axle and wheels.

29. The toy of claim 28 wherein there are a pair each of said tubularelements and four caps whereby a double axled, four-wheeled vehicle issimulated.

30. A toy adapted for mounting in a bottle crown cap as a horizontalsupport comprising a locking disc having size and resiliency to snapinto engaging parallel 5 relationship with said cap and provided with anopening therethrough, a figure adapted to be attached to said cap bysaid disc, said figure to extend vertically from said cap and disc, saidfigure having a tongue thereon adapted to extend through said openingand lie between said cap and said disc, the vertical height of saidfigure being substantially greater than the diameter of said disc andsaid cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 149,260 4/48Danz 46-151 XR 2,665,522 1/54 Junod 46-22,1

FOREIGN PATENTS 6,176 5/00 Great Britain. 169,721 4/ ()6 Germany.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOY COMPRISING A BOTTLE CROWN CAP AS A SUPPORT, 